Correlation Analysis Between Serum Anti-PLA2R Antibody Level and Pathological Injury Indexes of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy
Objective To explore the value of serum anti-PLA2R antibody levels in assessing the pathological injury in idio-pathic membranous nephropathy(IMN)by analyzing the correlation between anti-PLA2R antibody levels and pathological injury in IMN.Methods A total of 112 patients with first-time nephrotic syndrome diagnosed as idiopathic membranous nephropathy by renal biopsy were enrolled.Patients were grouped into tertiles based on their serum anti-PLA2R antibody levels.The correla-tion between anti-PLA2R antibody levels and pathological injury degree in IMN was analyzed.Results The positive rate of ser-um anti-PLA2R antibody was 69.64%(78/112).According to the levels of anti-PLA2R antibody,the patients were divided into three groups:Group 1(G1,<17.05 RU/mL),Group 2(G2,17.05-103.20 RU/mL),and Group 3(G3,>103.20 RU/mL).The age of patients in G3 was significantly higher than that in G1(P<0.05).The urine protein-to-creatinine ratio(UPCR)in G3 was significantly higher than that in G1 and G2(P<0.05),while serum albumin levels were significantly lower in G3 compared to G1(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)and urine IgG among the three groups(both P>0.05).The majority of the patients were in pathological stage Ⅱ(70.5%),and the total renal chronicity score(TRCS)grade was predominantly mild,accounting for 74.1%.There was no significant difference between the composition ratio of pathological staging,basement membrane thickness,TRCS grade,or arteriolar sclerosis rates(all P>0.05).Immunoflu-orescence detection showed that the total positive rate for IgA was 33.9%,with G1 and G2 showing significantly higher IgA positivity rates than G3(P<0.05).The total IgM positivity rate was 84.8%,and the IgM positivity rate in G1 was higher than that in G3(P<0.05).The positive rates of C3 and Clq in renal tissue were 98.2%and 44.6%respectively,with no significant difference among the three groups(both P>0.05).The intensity of IgA and IgM deposit was negatively correlated with serum anti-PLA2R antibody levels(both P<0.05)and positively correlated with eGFR(both P<0.05).Conclusion In idiopathic membranous nephropathy,the positive rate of serum anti-PLA2R antibodies is 69.64%.Pathological staging is predominantly stage Ⅱ,and the TRCS grade is mostly mild.Patients with high antibody levels are older than those with low antibody lev-els.The deposition of IgA and IgM in renal tissue may serve as a protective factor for the progression of kidney function.The serum anti-PLA2R antibody level has limited utility in assessing the degree of pathological damage in idiopathic membranous ne-phropathy.